My GENE 411 Argument

GENE 411 is a course on Engineering Law I want to take. The problem is that I don't really have time to take it in my schedule, because it's listed as a List D elective, and I have lots of those I need to take for my Cognitive Science Option. I do however need to take a List A Impact Course. List A courses suck, everyone I know dreads taking them, not because they're hard, they're not, they're just really, really boring. So i'm endevouring to get GENE 411 put on List A so I can take it and satisfy that requirement at the same time. The associate chair of my dept. said that if I could provide a good argument, he would take it to the Faculty Operations Commitee for discussion.

My argument for the inclusion of GENE 411 in the list A electives is as follows:

List A is, as you have mentioned, a category designed for courses which are relatively non-technical (although certainly some of the courses currently listed are more technical then others), and speak to the impact of technology on society. I gather that we are required to take such a course so that, as Engineers, we have garnered some insight into how our designs and actions figure into the larger construct of society; In effect, to realize that we are part of a bigger whole, not simply living off in our own little Engineering world.

I would argue that GENE 411 (and indeed GENE 412 as well) does just this. GENE 411 is, in essence, a course on Engineering Law, especially pertaining to Canada. Law is a binding construct in society. Law establishes roles, and responsibilities for the citizens of the enforced jurisdiction, and the laws of a country or area are arguably one of the most dominant affecting factors for those who live under those laws. Law is not technical in the same sense that we tend to think of as technical. It is rigorous, logical, but in the same way that linguistics is logical. One cannot gain understanding of law and use that understanding to design something. One understands law, and uses technical training to design something that is in accordance with law.

GENE 411 is not however about law in general, it is about engineering law. An Engineer is someone who uses technical skills and experience to develop technology in a manner above all, that is safe. This safety, as you know, is imperative to society, so that we don’t have bridges collapsing on us and so forth. One of the most important ways that society is protected from potentially unsafe technology is through engineer law. By legally binding professional engineers to be legally accountable for their designs, we may ensure that the effects of technology on society, at least from the standpoint of reliable and safe designs, are positive ones.

If you feel I have made a sufficient case for the movement of GENE 411, I would appreciate your taking it to the Faculty Operations Committee for discussion. In either case, please provide me with feedback and your thoughts.